Before Adam’s fall he could easily hear Our Heavenly Father. As we refer to Genesis 3, we see that he could hear immediately afterwards. As time passed, it became difficult for mankind to hear Our Heavenly Father. The fleshly man does not have ears to hear and that man became stronger by the day. Sin and lawlessness abounded and most men followed after their own lust. In each generation Our Heavenly Father would raise up a remnant that would hear HIS Voice. Men who sought after Heavenly Wisdom were rewarded with a deeper relationship with Our Heavenly Father. What prevents us from hearing Our Heavenly Father?
Psalm 46 says to “Be still” yet we are now so busy and preoccupied with the cares of the world that we don’t meditate on HIM so that we can hear HIS Words. For me, the best time to be still, hear, and meditate on HIS Word is first thing in the morning. I am refreshed and have not dealt with the issues of the day. HE will awaken me early when there is much spiritual activity to deal with or there is something specific I need. That has happened a lot lately. Over the course of our Bible Study on Love there has been much spiritual activity. Often such activity is designed to challenge the revelation coming forth. The greater the revelation, the greater the spiritual activity. This is where the overcomer must “overcome” the challenges to the revelation.
“Clutter” is another hindrance to listening. Simplifying your life will free up your focus and attention. If you are predisposed to scarcity, you will tend to hold on to things “just in case”. We are told to go into our prayer closets. Why? We must remove anything that distracts us from hearing. A blaring TV or radio, a new text message on the cell phone, or a stack of papers screaming for attention will all hinder your ability to hear.
Over-commitment is another challenge among many. When you have committed yourself to tasks with excess time requirements, you become a slave to those tasks. Parents sign up their kids to every sport under the sun in an effort to raise the next premier athlete. Fifty games in a season for grade school kids? C’mon! Time and resources are sucked away and at the same time your ears become dull of hearing. You wake up everyday exhausted. Free up your time and under-commit. You will find that you can see and hear a little better. If Our Heavenly Father instructed you to do something or take a trip, do you have time to do it?
When you free up time and attention, you set the stage to hear. You must not be in a hurry for Our Heavenly Father does not operate on your time schedule. Commitment to hear is necessary. Hearing demands a response and action. If you have no time for action, why should HE tell you to do something.
The Faith Movement was depicted by the view “ I will do this or that unless HE tells me not to!” Those “men of faith” assumed they could hear based on their Pentecostal faith. On the other hand, Jesus said He did nothing of Himself but instead only what Our Heavenly Father taught Him (John 8:28). Wouldn’t it be better to do only those things which were spoken to you by Our Heavenly Father? You must surrender yourself for this to occur. You must place the ego on the altar and it must die so that “in death you will live”. You must lay down you life for HIM. In order to do HIS Will you must first listen. Where your Love is, you will be.